Method for producing combustible gas



W. W. KEMP METHOD FOR PRODUCING COMBUSTIBLE &AS

Filed Nov. 7 1921 Patentd July 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM WALLACE KEMI', OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

METHOD FOR PRODUCING COMBUSTIBLE GAS.

Application filed November 7, 1921. Serial No. 513,4 44.

This invention relates to a new and im proved method of producing gas, and has for its object to produce, continuously, combustible gases such as coal gas, water gas, hydrocarbon gases, or mixed coal and water gas.

In the production of coal gas under methods and with the apparatus now commonly in use, retorts are provided, which are externally fired and brought to a temperature i 1 which will carbonize the material contained in the retorts. Such methods require a large consumption of fuel, and the intense heat to which the retorts are' subjected to bring the interior to a proper temperature to distill the coal tends to break the retorts down rapidly, and necessitates their frequent replaeement. The apparatus generally employed in the production of water gas, comprises a gas generator in which the fuel s placed, and this fuel is brought to incandescent, (as for example to a temperature of about 2000 after which steam is passed through the 1n- -candescent mass and water gas generated. These alternate Operations of bringing to incadescence and steaming generally result in waste, in that, during the heating up of the generator, the combusti n gases and the heat produced pass out at the flue, so that under this method of producing water gas the gas yield from a given amount of fuel is very much redueed and the method is slow and inv termittent.

By the method and apparatus which I have developed, and which will be described in detail hereinafter, a eontinuous production, either of coal gas, or water gas, or both, is maintained, and the relling of retorts, such as are now used in the production of coal gas and the practice of externally firing, is done away with; while in the production of water gas, or mixed coal and water gas,-

fuel without interruption of the heating aotion and without the necessity of alternating the burning and the steaming steps.

In order that the invention may be understood by those skilled in the art, I have shown, in the accompanying drawing, a gas generator embodying my invention, the drawing being a vertical longitudinal section.

Referring to the drawing by the umerals thereon, the gas generator is built dia in any suitable manner, having the outer jacket 10, preferably of metal, with an insulation 10' adjacent the jacket and the inner lining 11 of fire brick or other high heat resisting material.

The structure, composed of the elements 10, 10', and ll, forms a hollow gas generator having the central chamber 12 extending from the bottom to the top thereof, the top of the generator being covered by the hopper plate 12% surmounted b'y the hopper 13, provided, at its top, with an air-tight elosure 14, and at its bottom with a sliding gate 15, so as to provide a trapped feed hopper for the chamber 12. It will be understood that the form of feed for the generator described is merely illustrative, andequivalent feeding means, such as a feed wormv or other device may be substituted.

At a suitable point in the chamber 12 is provided a' grate 16 of any suitable construction, and below that gate is a swinging gate or valve 17 operable from the outside of the generator by the handle 18, this valve or gate 17 elosely fitting the chamber 12 so that the chamber will be substantially air-tight at the top and at the bottom, there being provided an ash pit door 19 to tightly close v the opening 20 at the base of the generator, through 'which the burned products passing through the grate 16 and dumped by the valve 17 may be removed. There may be provided, of course, a conveyor of any aproved t e as` for exam le a screw con-' u 7 7 p 7 veyor at the bottom of the generator to remove the coke when coal gas is generated, or the ash, when water gas is formed.

` It will be seen that there is provided, by this construction, a closed gas generator' into which the fuel (for example, coal, wood,

lignite, oil-shale, mineral oil, crude petroleum, or other gas producing material,) from which the gas is generated, is fed, and this loading of the' generator may be con-- `bcr 12 without allowing the entrance of air to that chamber, the lower part of the chamber being, of course, closed by the gate 17 and. the closure 19, or equivalent means.

In order to bring the material passing down the generator to incandescence and release the gaseous constituents, there is provided a series of water-jacketed burners 21 having water jackets 21?, arranged in any suitable manner, but preferably, as shown, in circumferential series spaced apart vertically relative to one anotherj These burners project outwardly and radially through the wall of the generator to feeder tubes or rings 22, embedded in the wall and connecting at any suitable point in their circumference with the main feed pipe 23. The burners 21 deliver, under pressure, to the chamber 12 a miXture of tuel, preferably 'gaseous, which is self-sustaining, such :tuel having an air content uficient to merely sustain combustion of the fuel issuing from the burners 21. That is, the amount of oxygen contained in the gaseous mixture supplied to the burners is not in excess of that required to eftect combustion of the ifuel of that mixture. Such a mixture may be produced by any suitable means, for example, such as that of the patent to Kemp and Van Horn No. 1,420,658, dated July 27, 1922.

The miXture, such as produced by the apparatus of the Kemp and Van Horn patent, is avery thorough mixture, the air and 'gas constituents 'thereof being thoroughly intermingled, or mixed without stratication.

As a result of using such a thorough mix- -each burner.

ture, 'produced outside the generator, and the proportions being such that the oxygen therein does not exceed that required to effect conbustion of the gas in the mixture, the flame is maintained close to the 'face of This is a feature of considerable importance in carrying out my improved method. If the fiame was permitted to blow-off from the face'of the burner, some combustion ,of the gas making material or of the gas ev'olved therefrom will occur. However, by employing a thorough mixture of the particular nature referred to, which is produced outside the gas generator, I insure that the flame will be maintained close to the face of each burner and avoid any combustion of the gas producing material, or

are inclined downwardly, and the ends of the orifices of the burners 21 are preferably bell-mouthed, as shown, in order to prevent anychoking or clogging of the burner openings and tubes b the solid fuel in the gas generating cham er.

It will be observed that since air is not present in the chamber 12, the self-sustaining fiame delivered from the burners 21 cannot set up active combustion of the coal or other material, since, in the absence of sufficient air to promote combustion, the coal will simply be heated to incandescence and the volatile elements driven off, which Volatile elements will pass out throughany suitable dclivery outlet, as pipe 24, at the top of the gas generator to any suitable scrubbing,

or other apparatus, for further treatment.

The fiame of the mixture supplied to the burners 21 will not theretore eflect combustion of the coal or of the volatile elements released therefrom. As the distillation of the coal progresses it will be gradually coked as it approaches the grate 16, and will pass through the grate and be dumped by the valve or gate 17 to the ash pit. e

In order that water gas, or mixed water and coal gas, may be produced when desired,

I provide the chamber 12, preferably below the grate 16, with a steam coil 25'having a feeder 26, through which steam may be delivered, as desired, and driven up through the incandescent mass in the chamber 12 to 9 form water gas, or to combine with the volatile products from the coal and produce coal and water gas. v

The advantages of the present method and i the apparatus described for carrying it out, 1

are, that a eontinuous process is provided. After the burners are once lighted and the chamber is filled, a continuous generation, either of coal, or of water gas, or both, may be carried on. production maybe very accurately regulated and the apparatus controlled, tor the burners may be very accurately regulated as to the supply of self-sustaining fuel passing through them to the stack so as to ensure 11( proper control of the temperature, and a very complete distillation of the coal secured. `Where water gas is produced there may be such regulation of the burners and of the steanrsupply as to maintain continu- 111 ous production, and elimmate the alternating method of blowing and steaming now in use. Furthermore, the method and the apparatus are such that a very material reduction in the amount of fuel used results, 121

for the alternate heating up andwaste of gas and the steaming are eliminated, and the method proceeds has begun.

O lt will be observed that atmospheric air ia s efi'ectually eXcluded from the chamber 12, both by reason of the closed character of the chamberwhich prevents ingress of any substantial Volume of air, and, furthermore, the pressure generated within the 13 Another advantage is that 10:

continuously after firing chamber by the incoming jets of-self-sustaining fluid is suflicient to efl'ectually resist atmospheric pressure and entrance of air.

Such changes in structure and variations in the steps of the method from this disclosure as are within the skill of a mechanic, and obvious equivalents may be made and still be within the range of my invention.

I claim:

1. The method of producing combustible gas from material 'capable of evolving gas 'under the action of Cheat, which consists in charging the gas producing material into a gas generator, preventing the ingress of air into said generator, and heating the material to form gas therefrom by projecting into the generator the flame produced b the combustion of a thoroughly premixe gas and air mixture, the amount of oxygen in which is not in excess of that required to effect combustion of the mixture and is insufficient to produce combustion of the material.

2. The method of producing combustible gas from material capable of evolving gas under the action of'heat, which consists in charging the gas producing material into a gas generator, preventing the ingress of air into the generator, and heating the material to form gas therefrom by projecting into the generator, a plurality of circumferentially separated and vertically spaced flames produced by the combustion of a thoroughly premixed gas and air mixture, the amount of oxygen in which does not exceed that required to effect combustion of the mixture and which is insuflicient to efi'ect combustion of the material or of the gas evolved therefrom. p I

3. The herein described process of producing combustible gas, which consists in charging gas producing material into a gasification chamber, and heating the material to form a combustible gas by 'subjecting it to the direct action of the flame and products of combustion produced by burnin within the gasification chamber a thoroug ly prenixed gas and air mixture, the amount of oxygen in which does not exceed that required for combustion of the mixture, without setting up combustion otthe residue produced or of the gas evolved.

4. The method of producing combustible gas including a portion of water gas, which consists in charging into a gas generator material capable of evolving gas under the action of heat, preventing the ingress of air into said generator, heating the material to form gas therefrom by projectin into the generator the flame of a' burning t oroughly premixed gas and air mixture, the amount of oxygen in which does' not exceed that required to eect combustion of the mixture, and which is insuflicient to eflect combustion of the material or the gas evolved therefrom, and passing steam through the mass of heated material to produce water gas.

5. The method of producing combustible gas including a portion of water gas which consists in charging into a gas generator material capable of evolving gas under the action of heat, heating such material to form gas therefrom at a plurality of vertically spaced points by the heat of flames of a thoroughly* premixed gas and air mixture inject-ed into the generator and the amount of oxygen in which does not exceed that required to eect combustion of the mixture and is insuflicient to efi'ect combustion of the gas producing material or the gas evolved threfrom, while excluding from the generator air suflicient to cause combustion of the unaterial or 'gases evolved therefrom, and injecting steam into the enerator below the zone of material heated by the lowest flame to produce water gas.

6. The method of producing mixed coal and water gas, which consists in charging' coal into a gas generator, firing the coal in the generator internally by combustion of a premixed gas and air mixture without setting up active combustion of the coal or the coal gas distilled therefrom, and a-dmitting steam to the interior of' the generator and thereby producing water gas.

7. The method of producing mixed coal gas and water as, which consists in continuously chargng coal into a container, forming gas from coal by burning within the container a thoroughly premxed gas and air mixture, formed outside the container and the amount of oxygen in which does not exceed that required for com bustion of the gas of the mixture, whereby it will not etfec't combustion of the coal, admitting steam into the resulting coke, -thereby producing water gas, while maintaining the temperature of the coke by burning the thorough gas and air mixture, and removing the ash from the container.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM WALLACE KEMP. 

